Abstract
Rapid landslides into water bodies may generate massive water waves posing a threat to riparian settlements and infrastructure. These waves are referred to as impulse waves and exhibit tsunami-like characteristics. The generation and, in particular, the spatial propagation of impulse waves were studied in a hydraulic laboratory wave basin. A videometric measurement system was applied to track the water surface displacement. Compared to fixed wave gauges typically applied in previous studies, this technique yields a quasi-continuous representation of the water surface, allowing for a detailed analysis of spatial propagation patterns. In total, 74 experiments with deformable mesh-packed slides were conducted, thereby varying the slide impact velocity, slide mass, slide thickness, slide width, slide impact angle, and still-water depth. Empirically derived prediction equations are presented and discussed for key wave characteristics, including wave amplitudes and celerities. In the context of a preliminary hazard assessment, these equations allow for the estimation of wave magnitudes at prototype scale.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Project 200021-143657) and is part of the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research–Supply of Electricity (SCCER-SoE).
References
Bornhold, B. D., J. R. Harper, D. McLaren, and R. E. Thomson. 2007. “Destruction of the first nations village of Kwalate by a rock avalanche-generated tsunami.” Atmos. Ocean 45 (2): 123–128. https://doi.org/10.3137/ao.450205.
Bregoli, F., A. Bateman, and V. Medina. 2017. “Tsunamis generated by fast granular landslides: 3D experiments and empirical predictors.” J. Hydraul. Res. 55 (6): 743–758. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2017.1289259.
Chen, Y. Y., C. Kharif, J. H. Yang, H. C. Hsu, J. Touboul, and J. Chambarel. 2015. “An experimental study of steep solitary wave reflection at a vertical wall.” Eur. J. Mech. B Fluids 49: 20–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euromechflu.2014.07.003.
Dahl-Jensen, T., L. M. Larsen, S. A. S. Pedersen, J. Pedersen, H. F. Jepsen, G. Pedersen, T. Nielsen, A. K. Pedersen, F. von Platen-Hallermund, and W. Weng. 2004. “Landslide and tsunami 21 November 2000 in Paatuut, West Greenland.” Nat. Hazards 31 (1): 277–287. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NHAZ.0000020264.70048.95.
Di Risio, M., P. De Girolamo, and G. M. Beltrami. 2011. “Forecasting landslide generated tsunamis: A review.” In The tsunami threat—Research and technology, edited by N.-A. Mörner. London: IntechOpen.
Di Risio, M., and P. Sammarco. 2008. “Analytical modeling of landslide-generated waves.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 134 (1): 53–60. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(2008)134:1(53).
Evers, F. M. 2017. “Spatial propagation of landslide generated impulse waves.” Doctoral dissertation No. 24650 and VAW-Mitteilung 244, edited by R. Boes. Zürich, Switzerland: ETH Zurich.
Evers, F. M. 2018. “Hydraulic scale model experiments on spatial propagation of landslide generated impulse waves [dataset].” Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1069077.
Evers, F. M., and W. H. Hager. 2015a. “Impulse wave generation: Comparison of free granular with mesh-packed slides.” J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 3 (1): 100–110. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse3010100.
Evers, F. M., and W. H. Hager, 2015b. “Videometric water surface tracking: Towards investigating spatial impulse waves.” In Proc., 35th IAHR Congress. Madrid, Spain: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR).
Evers, F. M., and W. H. Hager. 2016a. “Generation and spatial propagation of landslide generated impulse waves.” Coastal Eng. Proc. 1 (35): 1–7. https://doi.org/10.9753/icce.v35.currents.13.
Evers, F. M., and W. H. Hager. 2016b. “Spatial impulse waves: Wave height decay experiments at laboratory scale.” Landslides 13 (6): 1395–1403. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-016-0719-1.
Evers, F. M., L. Schmocker, H. Fuchs, B. Schwegler, A. U. Fankhauser, and R. M. Boes. 2018. “Landslide generated impulse waves: Assessment and mitigation of hydraulic hazards.” In Proc., ICOLD Congress 2018. Paris: International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD).
Frank, P.-J., and W. H. Hager. 2014. “Spatial dike breach: Accuracy of photogrammetric measurement system.” In Proc., River Flow 2014. Madrid, Spain: International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR).
Fritz, H. M., W. H. Hager, and H. E. Minor. 2004. “Near field characteristics of landslide generated impulse waves.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 130 (6): 287–302. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(2004)130:6(287).
Fuchs, H., and W. H. Hager. 2015. “Solitary impulse wave transformation to overland flow.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 141 (5): 04015004. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000294.
Genevois, R., and M. Ghirotti. 2005. “The 1963 Vaiont landslide.” Giornale di Geologia Applicata 1 (1): 41–52.
George, D. L., R. M. Iverson, and C. M. Cannon. 2017. “New methodology for computing tsunami generation by subaerial landslides: Application to the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska.” Geophys. Res. Lett. 44 (14): 7276–7284. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074341.
Heller, V. 2008. “Landslide generated impulse waves: Prediction of near field characteristics.” In VAW-Mitteilung 204, edited by H.-E. Minor. Zürich, Switzerland: ETH Zurich.
Heller, V., and W. H. Hager. 2010. “Impulse product parameter in landslide generated impulse waves.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 136 (3): 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000037.
Heller, V., and W. H. Hager. 2011. “Wave types of landslide generated impulse waves.” Ocean Eng. 38 (4): 630–640. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceaneng.2010.12.010.
Heller, V., W. H. Hager, and H.-E. Minor. 2008. “Scale effects in subaerial landslide generated impulse waves.” Exp. Fluids 44 (5): 691–703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-007-0427-7.
Heller, V., W. H. Hager, and H.-E. Minor. 2009. “Landslide generated impulse waves in reservoirs: Basics and computation.” In VAW-Mitteilung 211, edited by H.-E. Minor. Zürich, Switzerland: ETH Zurich.
Heller, V., M. Moalemi, R. D. Kinnear, and R. A. Adams. 2012. “Geometrical effects on landslide-generated tsunamis.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 138 (4): 286–298. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WW.1943-5460.0000130.
Heller, V., and J. Spinneken. 2015. “On the effect of the water body geometry on landslide–tsunamis: Physical insight from laboratory tests and 2D to 3D wave parameter transformation.” Coastal Eng. 104: 113–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2015.06.006.
Higman, B., et al. 2018. “The 2015 landslide and tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska.” Sci. Rep. UK 8: 12993. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30475-w.
Hughes, S. A. 1993. Physical models and laboratory technique. Advanced series on ocean engineering 7. Edited by P. L. F. Liu. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing.
Kamphuis, J. W., and Bowering, R. J. 1970. “Impulse waves generated by landslides.” In Vol. 1 of Proc., 12th Coastal Engineering Conf., 575–588. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Kobel, J., F. M. Evers, and W. H. Hager. 2017. “Impulse wave overtopping at rigid dam structures.” J. Hydraul. Eng. 143 (6): 04017002. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001271.
McFall, B. C., and H. M. Fritz. 2016. “Physical modelling of tsunamis generated by three-dimensional deformable granular landslides on planar and conical island slopes.” Proc. R. Soc. A 472 (2188): 20160052. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.2016.0052.
McFall, B. C., and H. M. Fritz. 2017. “Runup of granular landslide‐generated tsunamis on planar coasts and conical islands.” J. Geophys. Res. Oceans 122 (8): 6901–6922. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JC012832.
Miller, D. J. 1960. “The Alaska earthquake of July 10, 1958: Giant wave in Lituya Bay.” Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 50 (2): 253–266.
Mohammed, F., and H. M. Fritz. 2012. “Physical modeling of tsunamis generated by three-dimensional deformable granular landslides.” J. Geophys. Res. 117: C11015.
Müller, D. R. 1995. “Auflaufen und Überschwappen von Impulswellen an Talsperren (Run-up and overtopping of impulse waves at dams).” In VAW-Mitteilung 137. [In German.] Edited by D. Vischer. Zürich, Switzerland: ETH Zurich.
Panizzo, A., P. De Girolamo, and A. Petaccia. 2005. “Forecasting impulse waves generated by subaerial landslides.” J. Geophys. Res. 110: C12025. https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JC002778.
Poli, P. 2017. “Creep and slip: Seismic precursors to the Nuugaatsiaq landslide (Greenland).” Geophys. Res. Lett. 44 (17): 8832–8836. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL075039.
Przadka, A., B. Cabane, V. Pagneux, A. Maurel, and P. Petitjeans. 2012. “Fourier transform profilometry for water waves: How to achieve clean water attenuation with diffusive reflection at the water surface?” Exp. Fluids 52 (2): 519–527. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-011-1240-x.
Risley, J. C., J. S. Walder, and R. P. Denlinger. 2006. “Usoi dam wave overtopping and flood routing in the Bartang and Panj Rivers, Tajikistan.” Nat. Hazards 38 (3): 375–390. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-005-1923-9.
Roberts, N. J., R. McKillop, R. L. Hermanns, J. J. Clague, and T. Oppikofer. 2014. “Preliminary global catalogue of displacement waves from subaerial landslides.” In Vol. 3 of Landslide science for a safer geoenvironment, edited by K. Sassa, P. Canuti, and Y. Yin, 687–692. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer.
Roberts, N. J., R. J. McKillop, M. S. Lawrence, J. F. Psutka, J. J. Clague, M.-A. Brideau, and B. C. Ward. 2013. “Impacts of the 2007 landslide-generated tsunami in Chehalis Lake, Canada.” In Vol. 6 of Landslide science and practice, edited by C. Margottini, P. Canuti, and K. Sassa, 133–140. Heidelberg, Germany: Springer.
Sepúlveda, S. A., A. Serey, M. Lara, A. Pavez, and S. Rebolledo. 2010. “Landslides induced by the April 2007 Aysén Fjord earthquake, Chilean Patagonia.” Landslides 7 (4): 483–492. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-010-0203-2.
Synolakis, C. E. 1989. “Are solitary waves the limiting waves in long wave runup?” Coastal Eng. Proc. 21: 219–233.
Wang, J., S. N. Ward, and L. Xiao. 2015. “Numerical simulation of the December 4, 2007 landslide-generated tsunami in Chehalis Lake, Canada.” Geophys. J. Int. 201 (1): 372–376. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggv026.
Zweifel, A., W. H. Hager, and H. E. Minor. 2006. “Plane impulse waves in reservoirs.” J. Waterway, Port, Coastal, Ocean Eng. 132 (5): 358–368. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-950X(2006)132:5(358).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 23, 2018
Accepted: Nov 12, 2018
Published online: Mar 8, 2019
Published in print: May 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Aug 8, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.